CALIFORNIA TOURISM TO LAUNCH ‘SERIOUS BUSINESS’ TV SPOT
The California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) will debut a new TV commercial this month. The 30-second spot, titled “Serious Business,” was produced in conjunction with Sacramento-based MeringCarson and is scheduled to launch nationwide on Sept. 28. (TravelPulse)         
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CTTC’S CAROLINE BETETA WINS STATE TOURISM DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
The National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD), an industry council of the U.S. Travel Association, has announced that Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the California Travel & Tourism Commission, is the new State Tourism Director of the Year. (Plannerwire)  
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CRUISING ROUTE 66 THROUGH SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Make a detour into the Inland Empire to check out the Wigwam Motel, the original McDonald's and a Stater Bros. classic car fest this weekend. (Los Angeles Times)  
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6 FOOD FESTIVALS THAT ARE WORTH THE TRIP
Northern California's Mendocino County is an internationally renowned wine terroir—and when the autumn rains hit, the region comes alive with wild mushrooms. The Wine & Mushroom Festival (November 6–15) welcomes that happy annual invasion. (Oprah.com) 
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FOLLOWING ROBINSON JEFFERS’ POETIC PATH IN BIG SUR
Big Sur, the 90 or so miles of rugged Pacific coast that unfurls south of Monterey, is known for pricey, reservations-only restaurants and as a capital of the New Age movement. It's a place, then, for well-fed people to get in touch with their inner selves in a spectacular natural setting. (Los Angeles Times)
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BUSINESS TRAVEL CAN HELP BOTTOM LINE—U.S. STUDY SAYS
Business travel – often the target for cutbacks by companies seeking to reduce expenses – actually boosts profits and could help the U.S. economy come back from the recession, a report found. (Reuters via Forbes)
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PARTNERSHIP WOULD LURE TOURISTS FROM OVERSEAS
The Senate voted to create a nonprofit corporation that would market the United States as a tourist destination for travelers around the world. Senators voted 79-19 for the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, their first substantive vote after returning from summer recess. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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U.S., EU FACE OFF OVER TRAVEL, AGAIN
Why is it that most major disputes between the United States and the European Union have to do with travel? First it was the war between Boeing and Airbus, then the furor over personal passenger data, and now it's a new fee Washington is about to impose on visa-free travelers to the United States. (The Washington Times)
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EDITORIAL: BED-TAX DODGE THREATENS STATE, LOCAL BUDGETS
Two motorcycle enthusiasts decide to attend Biketoberfest. One makes his reservations through a well-known travel Web site months in advance, paying $250 a night for a beachside room with a microwave and refrigerator. The other comes down on the spur of the moment. Thursday afternoon, she rides around looking for a hotel with a vacancy sign, and finally settles on a small mainland motor lodge for $200 a night. Which of these room rates would be worth more to Volusia County, Fla.? (Daytona Beach News-Journal)
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U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION LEADS THIRD ANNUAL TRADE MISSION TO INDIA
The U.S. Travel Association is leading the third annual India Trade Mission on September 8-11 in Mumbai and New Delhi. The travel trade mission will bring double the number of senior executives from U.S. destinations and travel suppliers as last year to meet with Indian travel agents. (Business Standard)
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